Box-opening tool.



No. 679,495. I Patented July 30, l-90|.

A. 0. owen.

sox' OPENING TOOL.

(No Modal.)

UNiTn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPHUS O. BOVVER, OF NEVVKIRK, OKLAHOMA TERRITORY, ASSIGNOR TO II. E.FARNSWORTH, OF SAME PLACE.

BOX-OPENING TOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,495, dated July 30,1901.

Application filed April 21, 1899. Serial No. 713,911. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADoLPHUs O. BowER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newkirk, in the county of Kay and Territory of Oklahoma,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-Opening Tools,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved tool adapted for openingpacking-boxes and for similar uses.

The tool consists, broadly, of a lifting-lever and a fulcrum-bar hingedtogether, an independent ram mounted on the handle end of thelifting-lever, and means whereby the ram is adapted to force theoperating parts into engagement in or upon the box to be opened.

The objects of the invention are, first, to provide a tool with alifting-lever having a maximum range of lift for removing the cover froma box and having a small extension of its operating parts thereunder;second, to provide a tool with a fulcrum-lever adapted to support agreat pressure by bearing upon or against parts of the box withoutinjury to the same and adapted to be forced into engagement with the boxsimultaneously with the lifting-lever; third, to provide a tool foropening boxes having its lifting-lever and fulcrum-bar adapted to shearwire while the wire is bound tightly about a box.

Of the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation with thefulcrum-bar in an abnormal position in order to show the parts moreclearly. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the tool; Fig. 3, a front end View ofthe same; Fig. 4, a rear end view, partly in section; Fig. 5, a detailof the fulcrum-bar teeth.

The lifting-lever is represented by the letter A and is provided at itsoperating end with a eleven liftingchisel 1, adapted to straddle a nail.

B is the fulcrum-bar, which is hinged to A at a point 2, hereinafterdetermined, to permit the lifting-chisel the largest operative range ofmovement with respect to the other parts of the tool. This point mustnot be high enough above the chisel nor sufficiently near in ahorizontal line to the end of the chisel to enable the lifting-lever orany part I thereof to be arrested initslifting movement by contact withthe side of the box-cover; but it should be located as near these limitsas possible in order to provide the most advantageous range of movementfor the fulcrum-bar. With this construction the chisel will move in anarc of a circle substantially the middle point of which lies atsubstantially the middle of the operative lifting range. Hence duringthe first part of the lift the tendency of the chisel will be to enterfarther beneath the box-cover and during the latter half of the strokeit will tend to move outwardly. It will readily be seen that the higherup the hinge-point can be put above the chisel the greater will be theradius of the circle whose are is described by the chisel, and thereforethe more nearly perpendicular will that are be. It will be necessary todetermine by experiment the best location for the hinge-point in toolsof varying proportions. hinge-point 2 is located in an upright extension0 of the lever A, and the handle of the lever is continued in line withthe chisel; but it is evident that any other suitable construction maybe adapted, the handle being arranged in any relation with respect tothe forward part of the lever to enable it to permit the lever to beswung on the hinge-point.

The fulcrum-bar B is preferably constructed double or forked to embracethe lever A and its extension C and is provided with forward horizontalprojections D, adapted to enter between the box and the lid in a mannersimilar to that of the lifting-chisel 1. These projections may notextend so far under the lid as the chisel, since their office is chieflyto act as a support while bearing on the top of the side of the box.They may be extended, however, if desirable. The chisel and theprojections D have their surfaces which ongage with the box roughened ina suitable manner to prevent slipping, and it is especially advisable tohave the lower surface of the projections D treated for this purpose. Onthe forward side of the fulcrum-bar below the fork are one or more teethE, adapted to be inserted in the side of the box to assist in supportingthe fulcrum-bar, more especially In my preferred construction this,

before the bar is entirely inserted beneath the box-cover. These teethare arranged so that they are inserted but a short distance into theside ofrthe box when the projections D have been forced entirely underthe box-cover. The projections D also prevent the teeth from beingforced downwardly when pressure is applied at the hinge-point and inthat way tearing and defacing the side of the box. Each tooth is broadto engage with a wide extent of the side of the box and has a sharpforward edge, with a blunt forward bottom part. To the rear of the lowerpart of the fulcrum-bar a handle F is attached to be used generally inguiding the tool in its operation, and especially when it is used to cutwire bound about the box. c

An independently-constructed ram G is mountedon the handleend of thelever A and is adapted to be reciprocated thereon and impinge upon therear faces of the branches of the fulcrum'bar B and forward enlargements3 3 of the lifting-lever, as. shown in Fig. 4, thereby forcing the partsinto operative engagement with thebox. These ramming-surfacesarepreferabl y and most advantageously formed in a line between thelifting-chisel and fulcrum-bar projections D and the ram G. A nut orblock 4 is rigidly attached to the free. end of the lifting-lever and isprovided with a die orcavity 5, adapted to serve as a guide for a nail.The ram G is adapted also to impinge on this block 4 for the purposeofdrivingnails. out of the removed boxcover, or for-driving them in again,or for any similar purpose. The block 4 serves also to prevent the ramG. from slipping from the lever-handle.

The. preferable construction of the lever A and bar B, whereby they areadapted for shearing wire which is tightly wrapped about a box, is showninFigs. 1 and 2. of the forked fulcrum-bar B has an opening Sat itsupper edge above the hinge-point, and these openings register with eachother. A third opening 9, registering with the openings8, is made in theupper edge of the extensionfG of lever A. The openingsS and 9 have oneor more of their sides suitably arranged and formed to serve as shears,as

shown, for example, in Fig. 2. The upper edges of the bar and extension0 adjacent to the openings. 8 and 9 are suitably curved.

to prevent the tool being forced away from the side of the box whenthelever or bar is operated to shear the wire. In operation either thelever or the fulcrum-bar is held tight against the box, theregistering-openings 8 and 9 being over the wire which. is to besheared. Then the fulcrum-bar or lever is moved on the hinge, and thewire is-readily sheared.

I do not limit myself to the above construction of the tool oritsvarious parts, as the in.- vention may be embodied in variousstructures; but

Each branch What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a box-opening tool, the combination with a lifting-lever extendingin the plane of the box-cover and provided at its operative end with alifting-chisel forming ahorizontal extension of the lever, and with apivoted support extending upwardly adjacent to the chisel atsubstantially right angles to the lever and chisel, of two dependentfulcrum members pivoted on opposite sides of said support, andhorizontal forwardly-extending chisels carried by said membersrespectively, said chisels extending on opposite sides of thelifting-chisel to equalize the strains and exjtending in the samedirection and substan- T tially coextensively with the lifting-chisel so'that they can beinser'ted beneath the boxcover simultaneously with thesaid liftingchisel, and said pivot-support being by its location on theend of the lifting-lever, adapted to lie close to the box-cover when thechisels .are inserted thereunder, whereby when the outer end of thelifting-chisel is depressed the pressure will be exerted directlydownward upon the fulcrum-chisels and the top of the box, v 2. In abox-opening tool, the combination ;with a lifting-lever extending in theplane of the box-cover and provided at its operative ,iend with alifting-chisel forming a continuaftion of the lever, and with apivotsupport extending upwardly adjacent to the chisel at substantiallyright angles to the lever and chisel; of two dependent fulcrum memberspivoted on opposite sides of said support; and I horizontalforwardly-extending chisels carried by said members respectively,saidchisels extending on opposite sides of the liftingchisel' to equalizethe strains and extending in the same direction and substantiallycoextensively with the lifting-chisel so that they can'all besimultaneously inserted beneath the box-cover; portions of thelifting-lever having their rear surfaces in substantially the same planewith the rear surfaces of said fulcrum members when all three chiselsare in alinement, whereby they can all be simultaneously'forced betweenthe box and its cover. 3. Ina box-opening tool, the combination with alifting-lever extending in the plane of the box-cover and provided atits operative .end with a lifting-chisel forming a continuation of thelever, and with a pivot-support extending upwardly adjacent to thechisel at substantially right angles to the lever and chisel; of twodependent fulcrum members pivoted on opposite sides of said support; andhorizontal forwardly-extending chisels carried by said membersrespectively, said chisels extending on opposite sides of theliftingchisel to equalize the strains and extending in the samedirection and substantially coextensively with the lifting-chisel sothat they can all be simultaneously inserted beneath the box-cover;portions of the lifting-lever IIO having their rear surfaces insubstantially the same plane with the rear surfaces of said fulcrummembers when all three chisels are in alinement, whereby they can all besimultaneously forced between the box and its cover; and a ram mountedon the lever and adapted to be reciprocated to impinge against the rearsurfaces of the lever and fulcrum members.

4. A box-opener, which comprises a liftinglever having a projectionadapted to be inserted beneath the boX-cover, a fulcrum-bar hinged tosaid lever and having a projection adapted to be inserted beneath thebox-cover simultaneously with the lever, the rear faces of theprojections on such lever and bar being so located with respect to eachother that a blow can be delivered to both at the same time to drivethem simultaneously beneath the box-cover.

5. A box-opener, which comprises a liftinglever adapted to be grasped bythe hand of the operator, and to have one end inserted beneath abox-cover, a fulcrum-bar pivoted at one end to the lifting-lever at apoint which is above the box-cover when the lever is insertedthereunder, said bar being adapted to be inserted beneath the box-coverat the same time as the end of the lifting-lever, and means carried bysaid bar for engaging in the side of said box.

6. In a box-opening tool, the combination with a liftinglever extendingin the plane of the box-cover and provided at its outer end with alifting-chisel, a projection extending upwardly from the portion wherethe chisel and lever meet so as to lie adjacent to the box-cover,fulcrum members pivoted to hang freely from the outer part of saidextension, and chisels carried by said members in alinement with thelifting-chisel, so that all three can be inserted beneath the box-cover,and so that when the outer end of the lever is depressed the chisels ofthe hanging fulcrum members will press down on the top of the box, andthe lifting-chisel will press upwardly against the box-cover.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ADOLPI'IUS G. BOVVER.

Witnesses:

O. R. BURNHAM, H. S. BRAUOHT.

